A Necessary Evil
by MadamHydra
Summary: AU - Six years ago, the Sakurazukamori made a Bet and marked Sumeragi Subaru as his prey. But in this mirror world, is Subaru the naive innocent that he appears, or is he hiding a terrible dark secret of his own? Does Subaru himself know the answer?


Last revised:   
Completed: 05/05/2002  
  
[fic][TB][au] A Necessary Evil (teaser)(very rough draft)  
  
SUMMARY: Six years ago, the Sakurazukamori made a Bet and marked  
Sumeragi Subaru as his prey. But in this mirror world, is Subaru the  
naive innocent that he appears, or is Subaru hiding a terrible dark  
secret of his own? Does Subaru himself know the answer? And what of  
Hakuto and the rest of the Sumeragi clan? ^_-  
  
I'm still trying to get familiar with the Tokyo Babylon/X fandom so  
any C&C greatly appreciated! It's still just a rough draft, so  
please excuse the typos or other stupid mistakes.   
  
Title: A Necessary Evil  
Author: Madamhydra  
Email: madamhydra@aol.com  
Status: WIP (work-in-progress)  
Archive: www.madamhydra.net/TBX.html  
Type: Alternate Universe  
Rating: R (for now)   
Spoilers: manga volumes 1-7  
Pairings: Seishirou + Subaru  
  
********** WARNINGS ********* WARNINGS ********* WARNINGS **********  
Obscene language  
Mature themes (possible references to abuse, nonconsentual sex,  
etc.)  
YAOI (male/male relationships)  
LIME (implied sexual content)  
********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
Disclaimer: (Full Disclaimers at the end) Tokyo Babylon and X are the  
copyright and property of its respective creators and legally  
associated parties. Used without permission. Not for profit.  
  
Credit: Thanks to my friends Amy-chan and Sakka-chan, who keep egging  
me on, no matter how crazy, demented, and perverted my fic ideas get.   
  
  
(...) represents internal dialogue  
/.../ represent flashback dialogue  
  
======================================================================  
A Necessary Evil (teaser)  
A Tokyo Babylon AU fic by Madamhydra  
======================================================================  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
I'm going to take my time  
I have all the time in the world  
To make you mine  
It is written in the stars above  
The gods decree  
You'll be right here by my side  
Right next to me  
You can run but you cannot hide  
  
Don't say you want me  
Don't say you need me  
Don't say you love me  
It's understood  
Don't say you're happy  
Out there without me  
I know you can't be  
'Cause it's no good  
  
I'll be fine  
I'll be waiting patiently  
'Til you see the signs  
And come running to my open arms  
When will you realize  
Do we have to wait 'til our worlds collide  
Open up your eyes  
You can't turn back the tide  
  
-- "It's No Good" by Depeche Mode  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
======================================================================  
  
As the setting sun turned the sky a bloody red, an attractive,  
middle-aged woman seated herself on the solitary cushion in the small  
pavilion, gracefully arranged the folds of her elegant kimono, then  
settled down to wait.   
  
Perched on the edge of a sheer cliff, the rustic wooden pavilion  
provided a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and the  
valley below. However, the woman had no interest in scenery.   
  
She was there to deal with death incarnate.  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
The sun finally disappeared under the horizon, and darkness settled  
over the mountains. With only four flickering lanterns for  
illumination, the woman continued to wait with the disciplined  
patience acquired over decades of practicing the occult arts.   
  
Suddenly, the lantern flames flickered wildly as a cool breeze  
swirled through the pavilion. The woman tensed slightly, but made no  
attempt to prevent the unnatural wind from extinguishing the lanterns.  
Blackness enveloped her, broken only by the distant lights of Kyoto  
and the faintest glimmer of a heavily obscured moon.  
  
"Lady Ashikawa."   
  
The voice was cool, masculine, and directionless. Like the breeze  
earlier, it came from nowhere and everywhere at once. Nothing -- not  
sight, not sound, nor spiritual aura -- betrayed the speaker's  
location. That was only to be expected. The ability to conceal his  
presence so perfectly was only one of her visitor's formidable array  
of talents.  
  
"Sakurazukamori," she replied in even tones, bowing her head ever so  
slightly in acknowledgement. Even though he was invisible to her, she  
was certain that the assassin could see her every motion and gesture  
perfectly.  
  
"Your request for this meeting was somewhat unusual, given that your  
family is traditionally allied with the Sumeragi clan."  
  
"I'm grateful that you agreed to speak to me."  
  
The male voice replied smoothly, "After all the effort you went  
through to contact me, how could I refuse? So what can I do for the  
matriarch of the Ashikawa clan?"  
  
Her lips thinned slightly, clearly not deceived by the other's  
polite words and exquisite courtesy. She knew the dangers of  
attracting the attention of the Sakurazukamori, but she had little  
choice.  
  
"I have a simple request. Please listen to what I have to tell you.  
I have information that you may find of great interest."  
  
"I see. And this information concerns...?"  
  
"A potentially serious problem within the Sumeragi clan. Or perhaps  
it would be better to call it the rumor of a problem. Please  
understand that I am only repeating the story told to me, and  
therefore I cannot personally swear to its accuracy."  
  
"But you apparently consider it creditable enough and important  
enough to bring it to my attention. And you do not have a reputation  
as a frivolous woman."  
  
The assassin's words were not meant as a compliment, and she did not  
make the mistake of taking them as such. She bowed her head again,  
acknowledging the subtle, underlying threat. Put much more bluntly,  
she had better not be wasting the Sakurazukamori's time, or else.  
  
He continued, "The Sumeragi clan guards its privacy jealously, so  
may I ask how you obtained this information?"  
  
"The informant, Sumeragi Sana, came to me of her own free will,  
after her warnings were ignored by her own family." Lady Ashikawa  
shrugged. "We were schoolmates, from long ago."  
  
"Warnings? In regard to what?"  
  
"Two months ago, she told Lady Sumeragi that she sensed an evil  
power hovering around one of the Lady's grandchildren and expressed  
concern that the child had somehow become... marked... by some malign  
influence. Lady Sumeragi was oddly unsurprised by the information."  
  
She paused, evidently expecting a comment, but the assassin said  
nothing. Lady Ashikawa found the silence curiously unnerving, but  
after a moment, she continued her story.   
  
"Lady Sumeragi informed Sana that the situation would be  
'investigated and if necessary, addressed', and that she need not  
involve herself further in the matter. However, Sana was not  
satisfied with the Lady's response."   
  
"If your informant was concerned with Lady Sumeragi's actions, or  
lack thereof, the reasonable thing to do would be to talk to the clan  
elders. Why seek out an outsider's help?"  
  
"According to Sana, she tried to discuss her concerns with several  
senior members of the clan council and found them unreceptive, even  
hostile. Several of the elders went as far as to accuse her of  
being... irrational."  
  
"Is she irrational?" the Sakurazukamori inquired politely.   
  
Lady Ashikawa hesitated, then replied reluctantly, "I will admit  
that Sana can be somewhat high-strung and emotionally erratic. Also,  
she has made her resentment of Lady Sumeragi's grandson well known.   
Sana's own son has some degree of talent, but he's certainly cannot  
match someone of Sumeragi Subaru's power."  
  
She held up a hand. "However, Sana unquestionably possesses an  
extraordinary sensitivity to negative spiritual emanations."  
  
"A useful talent for a Sumeragi," he commented dryly. "But you  
still haven't answered my question. Why did she turn to you for  
help?"  
  
"To put it simply, fear. Fear for her own life."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"Soon after her conversations with Lady Sumeragi and the clan  
elders, she was the victim of several suspicious and potentially  
serious incidents. Falling roof tiles. Chips of glass mixed into her  
drinks and food. A broken step."  
  
"Typical low level curse phenomena."  
  
Lady Ashikawa nodded. "She made several attempts to ward herself,  
but with no success. Sana became convinced that someone in her family  
was acting against her, threatening or perhaps even trying to kill  
her. So she fled the Sumeragi compound and came to me for help."  
  
"But conviction hardly qualifies as proof. During her visit with  
you, did any suspicious incidents occur?"  
  
"No." Her fingers clenched briefly on her kimono. "And when I  
tried to determine if she had in fact been cursed, I detected nothing  
unusual. Either there was nothing to detect or...."  
  
Or the person responsible was much more skilled and powerful than  
Lady Ashikawa, who was widely acknowledged as a practitioner of  
considerable skill. Someone like the Sakurazukamori... or a head of  
the Sumeragi clan.  
  
"When Sana told me all this, I was initially skeptical. All she had  
was some vague impressions, but no real proof. I was convinced that  
she was simply misinterpreting events. I tried to reason with her,  
but by that time, she had become completely obsessed with proving  
herself right. A few days after she arrived at my home, she left for  
Tokyo, determined to find proof."  
  
"While this story is quite entertaining, I trust that there's more  
to it than that. So far, all I've heard are the allegations of an  
emotionally unstable woman who appears to have a persecution complex."  
  
Lady Ashikawa retorted, "While Sana's judgment can be skewed by her  
own prejudices, she does *not* lie. Nor is she stupid or easily  
deceived. If she says that she detected a wrongness or evil connected  
with the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi, then she definitely sensed  
*something*."  
  
"You said you did not believe her story at first. Obviously,  
something has changed your mind," the assassin said.  
  
"Six days ago, I received a very disturbing letter from Sana. I  
think it would be better if you read it yourself."  
  
Lady Ashikawa pulled a thick envelope out of her sleeve and placed  
it on the floor in front of her. A few seconds later, it was gone,  
whisked away into the shadows by a chill swirl of air.   
  
She settled down to wait. Even though it was nearly pitch dark, it  
seemed that the Sakurazukamori had no problems giving Sana's letter a  
thorough examination. Nearly a half hour passed before the assassin  
spoke.  
  
"How very... interesting." There was another thoughtful pause.   
"She makes some very serious accusations against members of her own  
family -- demonic possession, a coverup, corruption, and conspiracy,  
to name a few."  
  
"Sana's research has always been meticulous, sometimes obsessively  
so," she said quietly.  
  
"So I see from her letter. She claims that the thirteenth head of  
the Sumeragi clan is possessed or in imminent danger of being  
possessed. She further claims that the senior members of the clan are  
either willfully ignoring the situation and/or actively engaged in  
concealing it. I must admit that she presents a surprisingly  
persuasive argument."  
  
"Is it so unthinkable? I would think that you, of all people, would  
not be so easily blinded by the Sumeragi mystique," Lady Ashikawa said  
acidly. "People have done much worse in order to protect their  
family's reputation. After all, it would be a serious blow to the  
Sumeragi prestige if people were to learn that the future clan head  
was possessed by an evil spirit."  
  
"Perhaps." Instead of being offended by her pointed comments, the  
assassin sounded decidedly amused.   
  
Regaining her composure, Lady Ashikawa said, "Unfortunately, I have  
no further proof to offer. On the very day she mailed that letter,  
Sana died in a fall from the top of a fifteen story building in  
Shinjuku."  
  
"Convenient. Remarkably convenient," the Sakurazukamori murmured.   
"The timing is certainly suspicious, but obsessed people have been  
known to kill themselves in order to incriminate others." His voice  
turned brisk. "It's an interesting story, to be sure, but why tell it  
to me, of all people?"  
  
"Because you are one of the very few who are not influenced, nor  
intimidated by the Sumeragi. You have no fear of their displeasure.   
Most people, my family included, do not have that sort of luxury."  
  
"Flattery, indeed."  
  
"I simply acknowledge a fact. I believe that there is at least some  
truth to Sana's accusations. But without undeniable proof, I cannot  
risk an open challenge to the Sumeragi regarding this matter. They  
are simply too powerful, too influential."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Yes, I freely admit that Sana's accusations could be the ramblings  
of an unbalanced, paranoid woman. On the other hand, what if she's  
right?" She paused briefly for emphasis before continuing.  
  
"Despite his youth, the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi is already  
reputed to be an onmyouji of extraordinary talent and power. Consider  
what would happen if he becomes possessed by the entity Sana describes  
in her letter. He might prove to be a threat even to you,  
Sakurazukamori, to say nothing of the danger a corrupted Sumeragi  
would pose to everyone else."  
  
She folded her hands in her lap, then said, "The Sumeragi proclaim  
themselves the spiritual protectors of Japan, and I cannot deny that  
they have performed admirably in that role. But who will protect  
Japan from the Sumeragi, if necessary?   
  
"That is why I've come to you, the Sakurazukamori. You are the  
Sumeragi's opposite, the counterbalance. Only you have the power to  
determine the truth of this matter. And if necessary, eliminate the  
threat."  
  
She took a deep breath. "I'm not foolish enough to make demands of  
the Sakurazukamori, nor do I have the resources to hire you. Instead,  
I must rely on the honor of your clan and most humbly request that the  
Sakurazukamori uphold and enforce the ancient pacts."   
  
Lady Ashikawa put her hands on the floor and bowed deeply, touching  
her forehead to the wooden planks. She held that acutely vulnerable  
position, waiting for the assassin's response.  
  
One second she was alone in the pavilion. The next second, she felt  
a hand on the back of her exposed neck. There had been no sound, no  
hint of movement. For all she knew, he could have been standing  
within arm's reach of her during their entire conversation. Lady  
Ashikawa gasped and flinched, but otherwise remained frozen.  
  
As warm fingers lightly traced the line of her spine, the  
Sakurazukamori murmured into her ear, "It seems that this meeting has  
not been a waste of time, Lady. And I thank you for providing such an  
entertaining story."  
  
Before she could draw another shaky breath, the hand was gone, along  
with the assassin.  
  
After several moments of silence and solitude, she lifted her head  
and slowly sat up. Her composure shattered, she touched the back of  
her neck with cold, fumbling fingers. Finding only smooth, unmarked  
skin, she sighed in profound relief. Unmarked. At least for now, the  
Sakurazukamori was content to let her live.  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
As Sakurazuka Seishirou effortlessly guided the powerful sports car  
along the winding mountain roads back toward Kyoto, he thoughtfully  
considered the various implications of Lady Ashikawa's story.  
  
The woman's approach was certainly interesting, and no doubt  
intended to pique his interest. To that extent, it had worked.   
  
The whole affair could be a trap, of course, set up with or without  
the Sumeragi clan's cooperation. It wouldn't be the first time that  
someone tried to ensnare the Sakurazukamori. But this time, he didn't  
think so.   
  
Lady Ashikawa was genuinely worried about the potential for  
disaster. And if Sumeragi Sana's allegations were true, the lady had  
good reason for her fears. Under the circumstances, turning to the  
Sakurazukamori was a logical, if reluctant choice.   
  
However, the lady's motives certainly weren't entirely altruistic.   
Lady Ashikawa was cleverly attempting to shift both the burden of the  
investigation and the blame for any possible repercussions onto the  
Sakurazukamori. And even if he revealed the Ashikawa clan's  
involvement, the Sumeragi clan would be unlikely to believe him.  
  
What was the phrase the Americans liked to use?   
  
Ah yes, 'plausible deniability'.  
  
Lady Ashikawa was a bold woman, no question about it. She was also  
ambitious. The Ashikawa would not be the first onmyouji clan to  
resent the Sumeragi's prestige and authority. Success often bred  
envy, and it was no doubt frustrating for Lady Ashikawa to have her  
family constantly overshadowed by the Sumeragi.   
  
Lady Ashikawa's paramount concerns might be the threat of corruption  
within the Sumeragi. But if it happened that the Sumeragi should  
suffer a severe blow to their reputation, or even better, an acutely  
embarrassing public scandal... well, he was certain that Lady Ashikawa  
would be more than happy to take advantage of the Sumeragi's loss.  
  
He admired the sheer audacity of the woman's schemes, but that  
didn't mean that he was going to allow her to get away with it, of  
course. Yes, assassins did other people's dirty work. That was the  
nature of the business.   
  
But they didn't do it for free.  
  
The only thing more amusing than Lady Ashikawa's audacity was her  
blithe invocation of the ancient pacts. True, the woman had a deeper  
understanding of the Sakurazukamori's role in the spiritual world than  
most people, even those well versed in the Art, possessed. But even  
she could not fully comprehend the intricate weave of oaths and  
obligations that bound the Sumeragi and his clan together.  
  
In planning her presentation, Lady Ashikawa had assumed, and  
reasonably so, that the Sakurazukamori would gladly grab the slightest  
excuse to act against their ancient enemy. But in this case, the  
assumption was incorrect. The destruction of the Sumeragi had never  
been a goal of his clan.  
  
The Sakurazukamori were known as the guardians of the Sakura Burrow.  
However, his clan held another, equally ancient responsibility,  
although of a rather different sort.  
  
What had his mother said to him in that soft, sweet voice of hers?   
  
/ Many think that the Sakurazukamori are merely the most ruthless  
and cold-blooded of killers. But this is only the shallowest part of  
the truth. /   
  
She had cupped a camellia blossom in her bloody fingers, and nuzzled  
its soft petals.  
  
/ A few, more insightful individuals realize that the Sumeragi are  
the hounds who protect this country from spiritual threats, and that  
the Sakurazukamori are the leash that keeps the Sumeragi from  
wandering too far astray....   
  
/ But that too is a mere fraction of the truth. /  
  
And when he had asked the logical question, she had smiled to him  
and delicately touched the rough bark of the camellia tree with a  
blood-stained finger.  
  
/ The truth is that Sakurazukamori are the secret caretakers of the  
Sumeragi clan. Or more precisely, the caretakers of the Sumeragi's  
purpose. Ours is a twofold task. First, to make certain that the  
Sumeragi clan remains true to their sworn duty. And second, to ensure  
that the Sumeragi are capable of carrying that duty out.   
  
His mother had twirled so gracefully, the paleness of her kimono and  
darkness of her hair swirling together in the night breeze. She  
danced, her words in sing-song counterpoint.  
  
/ We create the dark background that make the Sumeragi shine all the  
more brightly....  
  
/ We drive the Sumeragi ever onward to greater accomplishments....  
  
/ We remove the Sumeragi's weak, their unfit, their diseased....  
  
/ We guide. We entice. We provoke. We punish. We even nurture,  
if need be. We do whatever is necessary to keep the Sumeragi strong  
and unwavering.... /  
  
His mother had stopped in mid-spin and looked directly at him, her  
eyes bright with mischief.  
  
/ But like any good gardener or breeder, the Sakurazukamori must  
know when to leave alone and when to interfere. In this, as in so  
many things, timing is everything. /  
  
And her soft laughter had been like the chiming of silver bells.   
  
The assassin smiled. And what would the proud matriarch of the  
Sumeragi clan think of such a revelation? What would the formidable  
old woman do if she ever realized just how much her family owned to  
its ancient enemy and rival?  
  
During his years in college and veterinary school, he had allowed  
the Sumeragi clan to go its own way. However, circumstances seemed to  
call for a more active interest.   
  
He didn't mind. Besides, there was a small matter of an unsettled  
bet....  
  
As he waited at a red light, he reached into the envelope containing  
Sana's letter and pulled out a photo. By the glow of the  
streetlights, he gazed thoughtfully at the blurred, murky image of a  
dark haired teenager. General age and hair color were the only  
details he could make out. Sumeragi Sana was an excellent and  
meticulous researcher, but she had no talent for photography. He then  
flipped the picture over. Neatly written on the back was an address  
in Shinjuku and a name.  
  
'Sumeragi Subaru (13th clan head)'  
  
The traffic light changed to green. As he accelerated, he pulled  
out his cell phone and began making arrangements for an apartment and  
an animal clinic in Shinjuku, Tokyo.   
  
Only time and close observation would reveal the truth of Sumeragi  
Sana's words. And if her accusations proved true, he would take steps  
to deal with the situation.   
  
Although, perhaps not in the manner Lady Ashikawa expected....  
  
(end teaser)  
=====================================================================  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
Keeper of Duo's Dark Side ~~~ Duo no Seishi  
Co-Keeper of Duo's Scythe & Bat Wings (w/ Death)  
Co-Keeper of Little Grim Reaper Duo (w/ Kitsune)  
Saitoh no Koibito ~~~ Corruptor Extraordinaire  
-------------------------------------------------  
madamhydra@aol.com /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/:E  
http://www.madamhydra.net/  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
=====================================================================  
The Full Disclaimer  
All names, likenesses, and rights of Tokyo Babylon and X are  
trademarks, copyright, and property of CLAMP and legally associated  
parties. The characters and associated materials of these works are  
used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This  
work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.  
Original portion of the fiction included here is considered to be  
the sole property and copyrighted to the author.  
===================================================================== 


End file.
